【Personal Info】
【Name: Ayao
【Nicknames: Squirt, short-stack, Ten timer
【Alias: N/A
【Age: 300
【Age Appearance: Early 20’s
【Gender: Female
【Race: Shinigami
【Former Rank: Ryoka.
【Former Division: 13th

Additional Appearance Info: At a solid 5’1, with a slim figure and sweet voice it would be a comedy unto itself to call Ayao intimidating. The word some may come to find more appropriate, to her quiet displeasure, would be adorable. At a mere hundred pounds, her easily lifetable nature combined with a face people would consider more ‘cute’ than ‘pretty,’ has made Ayao often the butt of jokes–well intended and not so kindly meant–and overly affectionate comrades. Ayao wears her uniform as a soul reaper proudly, keeping her zanpakuto on her left side, easily grabbed by her more dominant right hand. Ayao keeps her black hair often done up in a bun or ponytail, chopping it short when it gets too long. She has blue eyes.

Biography:

Ayao was never that fortunate.

Growing up in the Rukongai’s outer districts leaves a certain stain on a person, a mark on their soul that cannot be washed off no matter how hard one tries. Only hidden. She can’t say for certain if she had a family, if she was born in the Soul Society, or died in the human world like so many others. Her earliest memories are wandering along the dirt paths of the outer districts, meandering aimlessly through whatever truly could be called living out there. Even as souls, people wouldn’t stop being people. No one had to eat, but everyone was still starving for something. Ayao scraped out her own little pocket of existence in back alleys, far from the court of the Soul King. Some would call it a small miracle that she avoided any affiliation with any of the gangs that prevaded the outer districts, but it was mainly the simple grip of fear. Ayao had learned from a young age that other people meant danger, and so even in the crowded expanse of Soul Society, did her best to evade them.

It was simple luck that granted her the chance to escape.

She had wandered into one of the districts closer to the Sereneti, chased out of her usual hiding hole by gangs roving for fresh bodies, and had happened upon two drunk Shinigami, arguing about inane topics. The black clad warriors had existed as a simple myth for Ayao up until that point, a fancy little tale told to frighten children back into line, alongside Hollows that was. Out of breath as she was in the odd and unfamiliar district, she stuck out like a sore thumb to the Shinigami. Drunkenly the two debated whether she’d be able to make a fine reaper of souls, before bursting out laughing and wandering away.

Perhaps to most that experience would have been humiliating. While it was certainly unpleasant, it opened a door in Ayao’s mind. Curiously, she began to poke around, roving around the districts for more information on the Death Gods. The closer she got to the inner districts, the more reliable information popped up–alongside more Shinigami. Eventually she had pestered enough people, even a few Shinigami themselves, to gain enough of a view on how to become one. To lift herself up out of this bland, frightful existence.

It took her years. Decades, most likely. She took the entrance exam a total of nine times. Straining even the infinite patience of the Shin’o Academy, and earning more derision each time she came back. But on her tenth try, she made it into those gates by the skin of her teeth. Inside she had no less of an easy time of it. While many barely cared about yet another Rukongai runt, especially one from the outer districts, the sheer amount of times it actually took her to gain entrance to the Academy followed her like a quiet stench. Some admired the persistence. Most simply thought her a stupid peasant.

Nevertheless, during her six year course she poured all she had into it, desperate beyond belief to make something of herself. While her grades were average, with one or two spots going above the normal if still decidedly below exceptional, her Instructors found her eagerness pleasant. And, unbeknownst to her, she had managed to somewhat impress a visiting Captain of the 13th division: One Tsukiumare Hiakarui. When the fateful day had come, Ayao had accomplished her own personal miracle. She had graduated to become a member of the Gotei 13: A God of Death.

In the midst of her own private celebrations, for she had made few, if any, friends at the Academy, Ayao was invited to become a member of the 13th division. While not as a seated officer, the invitation eased Ayao’s decision. For while she had trained hard to be a Shinigami, she had put little thought into what kind she wished to be. Flustered by the letter penned personally by Captain Hiakarui, Ayao decided that the 13th division was as good as any.

Ayao settled in easily to the 13th division, finding herself tasked with many of the odd jobs around division headquarters. She did not meet the Captain often, beyond her first day alongside a few others. But the impression she gained was one of a kind, honorable man, if a little sad. Work in the 13th division was a little bland, at times. Doing work unexpected of a Shinigami, but necessary regardless of how menial it could be. It was different. There was purpose to it. A thrum of duty, of quiet belonging, that she hadn’t felt out on the streets. Indeed, she even got sent out to patrol in the human world a few times, though usually alongside others.

And then the world shifted on its head, and she lost everything.

Personality: A shy, somewhat demure girl. Ayao can often blend into the background of any given situation, and be dismissed by most as a weak-willed individual. She does her best to avoid conflicts with others, leading her to be labeled as ‘kind’ by some, and a ‘wallflower’ by others. While not an act, this nevertheless hides the core of steel and fierce determination held within her. When she sets her mind to a goal, and truly, utterly believes in achieving it, only great effort would see her from her course.

【Notable Traits】
Likes/Dislikes
✔ Being a Soul Reaper.
✔ Having a purpose
✔ Ice cream
✔ Dogs

✘Betrayal
✘Being made fun of, especially if directed at her height
✘Boastful blabbermouths
✘Being called adorable

Defining Traits:

Positive
▲Determined
▲Loyal
▲Accommodating
▲Clever

Neutral
☯ Single-minded
☯ Inner iron
☯ Demure
☯ Easily dismissed

Negative
▼Timid
▼ Emotionally closed off
▼Brutal
▼Ruthless

【Relationships】
NAME: Tsukiumare Hiakarui
The Red Lotus
The Blade-winged Dove

Acquaintance/Superior Officer

While their first true meeting was the acceptance ceremony into the 13th Division, Ayao had been observed by Captain Hikarui on a random visit to Shin’o Academy to see old friends. While displaying no secret reserve of inner power or elegant techniques, she still quietly impressed the Captain with her determination: Enough for him to pen an invitation to his division upon her graduation. While, in her mind at least, they never grew close enough to be true friends, they still remained on friendly terms despite the differences in position, and simple power. Upon her entrance to the 13th division, the Captain even maneuvered Ayao–then a fresh and flustered girl unsure of what was truly expected of her–into administrative work in order to help her feel useful, as well as slowly settle her into the life of a Soul Reaper.

The thought of disappointing him is a more bitter draught than she ever thought it would be, now that it has surely been made reality.

NAME: Iwashima Joshi
Friend/’Acquaintance’
An older, more experienced member of the 13th division who took it upon himself to show Ayao around. While she was at first annoyed at the boisterous older man—a fact that admittedly has only dulled, not disappeared—she grew grateful to him for showing her the ropes of being a Soul Reaper. All the little unofficial rules that the Academy didn’t teach for one reason or another. Even in the warm atmosphere promoted by Captain Hiakarui, Joshi remained one of the few to break through her shy exterior to the woman beneath. While Ayao, alone for so long, still thinks of him as an acquaintance it would be more truthful to call them not only friends; But comrades. Always the one to drag her out to the parties, away from books and the training grounds. She hopes he’s doing alright.

【Capabilities】
【General Aptitude】Fighting Style: When Ayao takes her blade out with the intent to harm, her previous personality floods away. Unlike what most would expect, Ayao fights with brutality and precision, aiming to end a fight as quickly as she could, with as much force as possible. She moves aggressively, seeking to destroy an opponent before the fight can drag on for too long and she ends up tiring herself out. She focuses on the use of her blade, only relying on kido when unable to keep up with flash step. Ayao relies on a mix of the skills she learned in the Academy, her time in the 13th division, and her own bloody minded instincts. For a girl of such a small stature, she can be more resilient than one would expect—though by no means invincible.

Attributes

Reiryoku: 95 (0)
Reiatsu:{50 (1)}
Strength: 50-Impressive)
Resilience:(15 -Unremarkable)
Mobility:(25 -Average)
Spirit: ( 5-Dismal)

Skills
Proficiency:(285)

Zanjutsu:(105-Expert)
Hakuda: (92-Expert)
Kido[Hado]: (19-Untrained)
Hoho:(50 -Practitioner)
Perception:(19-Untrained)

【Specialization】

Lethality(Zanjutsu/Hakuda Practitioner | Impressive Strength): An offensive Specialization for Hakuda and/or Zanjutsu, Lethality gives the Specialist advantage in specific situations. If they are on the attack in a situation, their Zanjutsu/Hakuda is treated as being one Proficiency Tier higher than normal.

【Artes】
Shunpo(Hoho Practitioner): meaning “Flash Steps,” this technique, while not the pinnacle of Hoho, is the primary Arte afforded by the Skill. This Arte allows the user to move faster than the eye can easily follow by using as few steps as possible to cross a distance. The higher the user’s Hoho Proficiency, the faster and more efficient this Arte becomes. This technique clashes against the Perception Skill, meaning that the lower an individual’s skill value is, the more difficulty they will have predicting the trajectory of or even following the user’s movement. This becomes more pronounced if the Perception Skill is at a lower Proficiency Tier than the Shunpo User’s Hoho Skill.

【Zanpakuto】[Sealed State]
"Come, girl. You can surely conquer more than this, can you not?”
Additional Description: Seidoboku, or the Bronze Servant, is a zanpakuto of average length. In many ways, it is an average looking katana. Its blade is the color of cold steel, all save the edge itself, which appears as bronze. A steel square guard, and the hilt is wrapped in white cloth.

Attunement(Attunement Score): Phase One - Shikai (First tier)
Deviation: N/A

Inner World & Spirit:
An endless series of grassy hills, some spotted with stone ruins, others completely bare, all of which surround an old, worn down wooden shrine. The weather varies, from clear blue skies, ceaseless rain, and cold snows.

Zanpakuto Personality: Cold and aloof, Seidoboku rarely speaks to Ayao, and has been perhaps the single most odd thing about her experience as a Shinigami. When he does speak, he constantly prods her to keep moving forward.

Shikai
“Rise, Seidoboku!”
Ability: Ayao’s zanpakuto turns fully bronze, with her guard turning into a blooming flower, and her hilt being covered in a blood red cloth. The blade increases in size, becoming more like a nodachi if more exaggerated, and adds to Ayao’s strength.

Techniques
Name: Bloody Reaper

With this technique, Seidoboku is able to absorb the blood of the fallen to strengthen itself, hitting harder and harder with the more blood it absorbs. But this does not come with increased durability, and if Ayao is not careful then too much blood may simply shatter her blade. Leaving her without her weapon while it reforges itself.

[If there is blood to absorb, her Shikai will grant Ayao +2 strength per turn it is active, to a max of +25. However, once that limit is reached and Ayao moves past it, there is a chance each turn that her blade will shatter, though only when attacking. However, this can be countered by either re-sealing her Shikai, or developing techniques to ‘vent’ the blood. Entering their Shikai doubles her Reiatsu stat modifier.]

Name:N/A

Name: N/A

Biography:
My Mother says I was born from a hair spun koto. I don't know if I fully believe her story. She says that she was unable to conceive and spun a koto of her own hair as strings. Every night she played and weep. And one day her wish was received. Others say that my Mother, was haunted after the passing of my Father. Sad and unable to bear the burden of carrying me. They say there are always two sides of the same story and somewhere down the middle is the truth. Maybe in her state of depression, maybe in her state of despair, her mind went and forgot all the reality around her. As she spun romance songs on the koto reminding her of her love, till she gave birth and too past.

Born into the Tsukiakari family, there were expectations that Yoite would someday fill. Some of those expectations were probably not placed on him by his grandparents, Natsume, and Shinjaro. Some of those were expectations of his relatives, aunts, and uncles, and their children. And those who knew his parents, his Mother and Father. His Father being a member of the Gotei 13, killed in action in the 7th division as their Lieutenant.

Natsume and Shinjaro tried not to burden Yoite's early life with responsibility he certainly wasn't necessarily ready for at his early age. Which obviously caught some criticism among their family. Who said they were sheltering Yoite and that he wouldn't be ready for the darkness to come. Though neither Natsume or Shinjaro ever done such a thing. They explained things as needed to Yoite and made it clear the darkness of the world.

After all the Tsukiakari family existed in moonlight. They weren't meant to shine in sunlight, but in the shadows. The people who would see their glory, were those who admired the moonlight and felt comfortable in the dark. They never hid his parents death to him, only filling in details as necessary as they were needed. This didn't necessarily quell the family of their worries and concerns. And it also lead to Yoite being out casted from some of his cousins who fed off their families disdain for Yoite and his apparent freedoms.

This may have sparked Yoite's habit into eavesdropping on conversations. Which got him in trouble with his family members often. Not only was he a sneak, but he was keeping tabs on the things they say. Which further ostracized him from his family, but knowing what was being said was perfect way of being protected from it. This kind of isolation from his family, meant that Yoite didn't spend a lot of time with kids his age. And not ever kid in Soul Society wanted to associate with someone from a Noble House for fear of retaliation. Which likely sparked his deep animism.

Eventually when he was of age, an individual who claimed to have been a friend of his Father in the Gotei 13. He requested that Yoite join the Shinigami Academy and more importantly to join the Gotei 13, he claimed that if his Father could control Reaitsu then it was likely that Yoite too could do the same. The translation was clear, he believed that Yoite had skill. Maybe it was one way of proving his family wrong, that he wasn't sheltered, and that he was capable of handling himself he decided to take the nameless Gotei 13 stranger's advice and join the Shinigami Academy.

Shinigami Academy was difficult for Yoite to make friends, he was a little off putting for some who - albeit his beauty- found him odd and creepy. Granted Yoite is a little odd and creepy, he has also been very sociable individual. His isolation as a kid had little to do with anything under his control. Yoite attempted to make friends as best as he could, which he did in time, with two students who admired his eccentric personality. Shinobu and Haru were Yoite's first friends in the Shinigami Academy, the trio were known to be exceptionally loyal to each other. Yoite surpassed them in many ways due to his capabilities. He caught on quick. And absorbed information like a sponge. There were always compliments about how not too dissimilar it was to his Father.

The fast friends eventually signed up for the Gotei 13 as well. Haru for the outskirts wanted to make a name for herself. Shinobu just didn't want to end up a failure and hoped that his perseverance would be enough to grant him a position. And Yoite to honor his Father. Unbeknownst to Yoite he had already been granted a position into the Gotei 13, by the same strange nameless man who had told him to enter the Shinigami Academy in the first place. It felt underhanded to Yoite at the time, him and his friends put on their applications to please be granted into the same divisions together. So they wouldn't lose their friends. Only to hear someone had pulled strings upon hearing his entry was a success. What a joke.

Ripped from his friends. Assigned 9th division felt like he had been given something without putting the work in it. Simply because someone had deemed his talent foolproof. It completely questioned his legitimacy as his Father's son. It's then that Yoite dedicated himself to go beyond ordinary expectations and supersede all their expectations. He would become more than they expected. Be more than just what they expected to prove that he was worth the position. That he earned the position. That he was there because he had skill, not because people expected skill from him or people just expected him to do good. Fuck the expectations others placed on him.

Starting from ground zero suits Yoite fine. It means that he gets an opportunity prove himself outside of society standards. While everything may seem stripped away. He is reminded the Tsukiakari family shines brightest in times of darkness. Those who admire the moon. Those who recognize the moon the way they recognize the sun, means at least the Tsukiakari family will live on. It will be quietly rebuilt. His grandfather had always said, that the moon is quiet, while the sun is loud. The loudest will fall, but those who embrace the stillness will always be reborn.

"When you rely on brute strength or a single source of power, you run the risk of being limited in your options. It wise then to not spread yourself too thin, or cast your net too wide."

At first the moon doesn't seem as impressive as the sun. Till it cast its light on you.



Water Haze

*Potential Flash Warning on the Song

“Bring me the wagging tongues of those who speak of lies.”

[Shikai]

"Haven't you noticed, her endless web all around us, Junko it's time to spring our trap,"

Command Phrase:

"People are often afraid of the dark. Never realizing that the moonlight can be a great teacher and guide as well. Moonlight reveals what the dark obscures, just as much as the sunlight. In the shadows we serve."

Everyone can see the benefit of the sun. It makes their harvest grow. It melts the snow. It is the coming of life, joy, a symbol of glory for some. The moon has always been a symbol of magic, mysterious it has been tied with ghost stories, and most associate it with the fear of the unknown. They rarely see it push the tides or control waves. They feel its effects, but they do not see the results so readily. It may be the same then for the Tsukiakari family. At first people’s interpretation might be that the Tsukiakari family may not in fact be a Great Noble House. Few see their work and those who do see them at work, often see them at the call of the other Great Noble Houses. Some may even question or not believe the reach the Tsukiakari family have because of this.

The Tsukiakari family have been known for doing the work the other Noble Houses wouldn’t even associate themselves with. Whether they feel it is beneath them, too embarrassing to attach their name to, or do not want to be caught doing something that might upset a few people, they send the Tsukiakari family in to do said work. Often the credit of that work is attributed to the Tsukiakari family. Because of this the Tsukiakari family have been seen as lower in status or that they have no honor, values or principle from those who do not understand their work.